Folding chair



J. L. CABLE FOLDING CHAIR Jan. 22, 1929 1,700,022

Filed June 11, 1925 Patented Jan. 22, 1929.

, UNITED STATES 1,700,022 PATENT OFFICE- JULIUS L. CABLE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB. TO LOUIS H, HARRIMAN, 0F

HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

FOLDING CHAIR.

Application filed June '11, 1925. Serial No. 36,305. i

This invention relates to chairs of the folding type in which a rigid seat frame is pivotally connected to the legs and 1n wh1ch the seat frame is provided with a rigid bottom, and more particularly, to a chair of this typein which the seat is upholstered.

Such chairs have usually been made of wood, and a reason why they have not been extensively made of metal is on account of the difficulty and expense of attaching upholstering material to a metal frame or metal seat bottom.

The objects of my invention are to provide a chair of the above described type which shall be entirely constructed of metal and shall have a metal seat frame and seat, and to provide, in this connection, means for suitably upholstering the seat, so arranged that the upholstering operation may be readily performed at small expense and a structure may be produced which is practical and presents an attractive appearance.

I accomplish theseobjects in the manner hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a folding chair in connection with which my invention is preferably embodied.

Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the seat frame.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the seat bottom.

Fig. 4: is a detail sectional view of the seat bottom, as initially formed, at line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. scale.

Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal sectional View of the seatin position in the seat frame.

Fig. 7 is a similar enlarged detail view of the front portion of the same. I I

Fig. 8 is a sectionalview, at line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view of the seat bottom.

Figs. 10and 11 are detail side and plan views respectively of the connection between the rear end of the seat frame and the other portions of the chair.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing a type of chair is illustrated in connection with which I consider that my invention may be more advantageously employed than with any other types with which I am at present aware, al though it may be employed in connection with other types than that illustrated.

5 is a similar view thereof on a larger As shown, the back frame 1 and the front pair of the legs 2 of the chair are formed of a continuous U-shaped strip of semi-tubular metal, so formed that its open side faces inward, the back frame portion having a metal plate 3 fixed therein to complete the seat back. A second pair of semi-tubular metal legs 4 are connected by pivots 5 to the middle portion of the back frame at its rear side. A-

retain the brackets therein. The frame 6 is also connected at each side to the front legs by pivots 11.

, In providing the above described construction with a seat bottom, a sheet metal bottom plate 12 is cut out in a shape corresponding to the shape of the frame 6 and a transversely semi-circular flange 13 is formed at its side and front edges by bending the same, said flange conforming exteriorly, both longitudinally and transversely, with the interior surfaceof the frame 6, so that it may be slid into the frame from the rear end of the latter and, when in this position, will fit close- 1y against the inner surfacethereof and be so supported thereby, so that the upper surface of the plate will be held in engagementwith the underside of the upper ledge of the frame, with its flange engaged with the lower ledge thereof, as shown in Fig. 9. The middle por what depressed, to form a concave upper surface, and its rear edge extends in a straight line at right angles to its side edges. The rear edge portion of the plate 12 is bent downwardly at right angles to form a flange 14 and the edge portion of the flange is bent inwardly to form a lip 15 which extends at an acute angle thereto, as shown in Fig. 5.

In upholstering the plate 12, a piece of suitable textile, or other upholstering sheet material 16, is provided, which is cut to a pattern corresponding to the shape of the plate 12, and the edge portion thereof, corresponding to the rear edge of the plate, is inserted between the lip 15 and flange 14, the

material being laid against the under side of the plate. The lip 15 is then bent towards the flange 14, until the material 16 is firmly clamped therebetween, and then it is drawn about the rear side of the flange onto the upper side of the plate. A suitable cushioning material 17 is then placed on the upper side of the plate and the material 16 is drawn tightly thereover onto the surface of the flange 13 of the plate, and there seemed in any suitable manner, as by means of split rivets 18, which are driven through the material and through apertures in the flange 13, as shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8.

In assembling the chair, the seat plate 12, as thus upholstered, is slid between the top and bottom ledges of frame 6, before the latter is attached to the other parts of the chair, and then the connecting sections 7 are inserted, and the rivets 8 are passed through the latter and through the end portions of the frame 6, in a position in which they engage the rear side of the flange 14 of the seat plate 12 and hold its edge flange 13 firmly engaged with the inner surface of the seat frame, as shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. ,7

The above described arrangement enables the upholstering operation to be quickly and satisfactorily accomplished at a minimum labor cost. When the seat bottom is in position, the upholstery thereon is pressed firmly against the under side of the upper ledge of the seat frame, so that, by suitably arranging the cushioning material, a practically continuous surface is provided from the frame to the covering as indicated in Fig. 9.

While the upholstering construction is shown as applied to the seat, it may be employed in connection with the back plate 3 to equal advantage, and it may be employed in connection with other types of chairs.

The seat bottom flange 14:, with its lip 15, form an effective securing means for the seat covering, as its edge portion is not only firmly clamped between the lip and the flange, but, it is drawn therefrom, it is bent sharply in three different directions before it is drawn over the seat plate. The flange and lip 14, 15 are also particularly advantageous in that they act as stiffening ribs for the plate and prevent sagging of its middle portion when weight is applied thereto.

I claim: 1. In a chair, a rigid, Ushaped seatframe of channel-form metal open at its rear end and having its channeled side facing inward, a bottom plate having an upholstering covering and means for holding it in position thereon, said plate being constructed to be slidably fitted into the channel of the frame from its open end to a position in which its front and side edge portions hold the covering against the under side of the upper portion of the frame and means to hold the plate against movement from the frame when in said position.

2. In a chair, a rigid, U-shaped seat frame of channel-form metal open at its rear end and having its channeled side facing inward, a sheet metal bottom plate having an upholstering covering thereon and arranged to be slidably fitted into the channel of the frame from its open end, said plate having a down turned edge portion extending about the front and each side edge thereof and con structed and arranged to hold the covering against the underside of the upper portion of the frame when the plate isin position there in, and means to hold the plate in said position.

3. In a chair, a rigid, U-shaped seat frame of channel-form metal, open at its rear end and having its channeled side facing inward, a bottom plate having an upholstering covering attached to its rear end, and extended over the top surface and held in position thereon at its front and side edges, said plate being slidable into the channel of the frame from its open end and having its front and side edge portions constructed and arranged to fit therein and to hold the covering against the under side of the upper portion of the frame and means to hold the plate against movement from the frame.

4. In a chair, a rigid, U-shaped frame of channel-form metal having its channeled side facing inward and forming a receiving groove, a sheet metal plate having a down turned edge portion extending about-one end and two adjacent side edges and constructed and arrangedto be slidably fitted in said frame from its open end and, when in posi tion therein, to be held with its top surface firmly engaged with the under side of the top portion ofthe frame and means for se curing said plate in said position.

In testimony whereof, Ihave signed my name to this specification.

JULIUS L. CABLE. 

